The Washington critic., 1887-01-13
BELLE BURTON.

love, as young men generally do, with
the girl who came handiest. This par
ticular girl happened to be Belle Bur.
ton, and devoted myself to her-rode
with her, boa,ed with her Qt was n
country place where We met, walked
with her, talked with her, begged her
for the roses she wore in her hair, and
tiled lin Vain, for | was no poet, to
make sonnets, not only to her EYE.
hiows," but to her hair, her cheeks
and her lily.white hands. In fact,
went through the pretty dreams of first
love as most young people usually do,
ana 1t ended, as 1t generally does in an
unpleasant awakening.
One day Il stage arrived at the hotel
with dozen dashing New Workers for
passengers. The next, one of them
obtained an Introduction to Belle Bur
ton. There was no doubt whatever
that be was handsomcr than men
usually are, OF that his grace and ac
complishments were equal to his per.
sonal charms. Handsome Arnold he
was generally called, and girls went
into raptures over his large, long.
lashed eyes and blonde moustache, and
men feared his broad shoulders, deep
chest and splendid proportions. For
my part, hated him from the first,
for no sooner had he appeared upon
the carpet than Belle seemed utterly to
forget my very existence.
suppose she had never cared any.
thing about me, but she had tlirted
with me while there was no better fun
to he had, and was not old enough to
know that the man she loves Is the one
no woman ever flirts with. With Ar.
mold she was graver than with most
men, but her eyes sparkled as he ap.
preached her. She blushed when his
name was mentioned, and cared for
nothing In which he had not some
share. In fact, II was as plain that
She was in love with him as that he
was devoted to her, and there was no
doubt in any ones mind that all this
would end in n wedding. 1t was q
good thing, said the old people, for
poor Belle Burton, for she chad moth.
ing" For my part 1t seemed to me
Il at all the luck was Arnold's.
had never thought myself very ILL.,
looking before, but now / was
wretchedly conscious of all sorts of
deficiencies. looked in the glass
many times a day. spent half my
time criticising my countcnance, and
longing vainly for the charms of hand
some Arnold. l could not hope to pos.
sess them, even should use all the
hair oils and cosmetics of the adverts,
ing columns of the daily paper, and
bribe to my aid the tailor who best un-
derstands the art Of padding shoulders;
but next to having fairy transforma-
tion effected for my benefit, | should
have been pleased to see Arnold lose
his beauty. l hope i have been for
given for it. scarcely can forgive
myself, but | could have prayed that
some ban might fall upon him--that he
might break his limbs, or catch the
smallpox, or somehow spoil his com.
pleXion or figure.
] was not a wicked young iieud by
nature, but love, which, when 1t pros.
pers, is the most humanizing emotion
of the soul, is most likely to develop
all the evil emotions of ones nature
when IL comes to grief
should have taken my departure
and put myself out of the way of hourly
torture, but did not do so wisely. /
fingered about the place and did small
things to spite the happy pair-intrudcd
on their tete-a tete, managed to force
the society of some excellent and 10.
quacious matron or some troublesome
child upon them, looked daggers of
contempt at him, and forgot to pass the
butter to her. AT last a grand chance
for annoying him occurred. He was a
good rider, and proud of his accom-.
plishment, and he had restless, nerv-
Gus animal which he boasted no one
could ride but himself. had heard
him declare himself perfect master of
the creature, who had never given him
serious trouble save once, when sud-
denly brought into the presence of an
artist who was sketching under white
umbrella.
That" said handsome Arnold, "was
something Prince could not understand
and made him forget who held the
bridle."
AS he came prancing up to the gate
or rode away with an air, | used to
wish for an artist with a white um.
brella desired to see that fellow un.
seated and ingloriously turned into the
mud That would have made me
happy; and once when he had offended
of riding, | sauntered out into the
ilelds-cursing him in my inmost soul
when what should | spy In the mid.
die OF the grass. intent upon a bunch
of clover. but fat, pre- Raphaclitc
artist, in white suit a Tapping hat and
white, skc,chlng umbl ella that would
have frightened the clergyman's gray
mare, who was nearly as old as him.
self, into being runaway.
rushed toward this artist with en-.
thusiasm. took oil my hat to him.
] said:
"Sir, rejoice that one Of your glo-
riOus profession has at last visited us.
You love the minute | see. Have you
noticed, the spider webs on the black.
berry bushes at the turn of the lane,
the dew sparkling on the silyery film,
the delicious fruit growing beneath
have you seen that, Sir?
The pre- Raphaclte artist scratched
his head with his brush and said
"Woll, no, amt"
"Will you come and sec II, sirY' l
said. "Will you make 1t immortal ON
your canvass
The pre- Raphaelie artist replied;
well, | wouldn't mind
J did not care what he sad so th0l
he came, My object was not art, twas
the white umbrella. desired to have
him seated where the eye of handsome
Arnold reslive Prince would fall upon
him as he turned the corner of the gar
den walk, and to that very spot be-
puiled my artist and there stationed
him, and when he had settled with
Cbinoee precision to his spider webs
aud blackberrles, hid myself behind u
tree 10 enjoy the comic scene fully
cXuected would follow.
heard handsome Arnold bid adieu